FDCP chairperson and chief executive officer Liza Diño.

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) gave its highest recognition to films, filmmakers and artists during the Film Ambassadors’ Night held on Sunday, 10 February, at the Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premiere, Taguig City.

This year’s Camera Obscura Artistic Excellence Awardees were honored for their outstanding achievements and breakthroughs that have inspired the Philippine film industry to aspire to greater heights.

“FDCP is so honored to award the Camera Obscura to Tay Kidlat (Tahimik), Bianca Balbuena and The Hows of Us because in addition to making 2018 such a great year for Philippine cinema, they truly represent the best of the many sectors that make up our industry. They are such an inspiration,” Liza Diño, FDCP chairperson and chief executive officer, said.

This year’s three awardees were recognized for championing the continued growth of Philippine cinema in the local and international film scenes in their own respective fields.

National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik was also honored with the Prince Claus Award in Amsterdam for leading the movement for independent cinema in the country and for making major contributions in visual arts and film.

Recently named Producer of the Year at the Asian Film Commisions Network, Bianca Balbuena was honored for her work in bridging the Philippines to the diverse filmmaking cultures in the world and giving opportunities to young and aspiring filmmakers. Balbuena successfully produced and co-produced internationally acclaimed films, Lav Diaz’s Hele Sa Hiwagang Hapis and Pepe Diokno’s Engkwentro.

Cathy Garcia-Molina’s Star Cinema romantic drama film, The Hows of Us, starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, received the Camera Obscura as the highest-grossing Filipino film to date, breaking the P800 million global box-office record.

Eighty-six honorees were recognized during the annual Film Ambassadors’ Night aside from the Camera Obscura awardees.

The event was the first official celebration of Sandaan (100 Years of Philippine Cinema) and the first event lined up in FDCP’s programs for 2019, which Diño revealed during the official launch held at a restaurant in Quezon City last week.

From 18 to 22 February, the Animation Du Monde will take place in Alliance Francaise de Manille in collaboration with the French Embassy for possibility of acquiring funds, co-production deals and collaborations.

This year’s Marche Du International Film de Animacion will be on 10 to 15 June in Annecy, France for decision making, program funding and acquisitions and content development.

Happening on 14 to 17 October at the French town of Cannes is Marche International Des Programmes de Communication (MIPCOM), an annual trade show used to buy and sell new programs and formats for international distribution.

FDCP partnered with Inter-Agency to increase awareness, to facilitate review, to provide mainstream assistance for import and export and to institutionalize labor policies through Food and Drug Administration, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, Optical Media Board and Department of Labor and Employment.

These inter-agencies help in distribution and exhibition through Cine Lokal in SM Cinemas, the largest cinema chain in the country; Cinematheque Centres situated in Manila, Iloilo, Davao, Nabunturan, Negros and Zamboanga; Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino or PPP 2019, a week-long celebration featuring new quality genre Filipino films in all regular cinemas nationwide, festival partnership program and international film markets.

To be delivered by local and foreign experts, Film Industry Conference offers both local and international perspectives on how to strengthen Filipino filmmaking through in-depth training, workshops and discussions.

For the first time, it will take place in a region with FIC at Cine Rehiyon from 23 to 24 and 26 to 27 February in Dumaguete City.

To be facilitated by international mentors and trainers, it will be open to Filipino filmmakers. Six to eight projects will be selected to participate in the First Cut Lab this April.

Diño emphasized that Filipinos will have access to social services, numerous skills, development programs and workshops and basic legal assistance with the establishment of National Registry. She added that along with the lack of booking and distribution system, a centralized system for collecting industry data is non-existent to this date, unlike in Korea.

Diño shared that FDCP will spearhead with its creation to track film-related data real-time.

A new Philippine Film Archive Heritage Building equipped with the latest technology in archiving will be the landmark for film heritage, conservation and preservation, she also revealed.

The Philippine Digital Film Archive will be made possible in partnerships with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and UP Film Institute Digital Film Archive.